Driving mechanism.



L. E. TOPHAM.

DRIVING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1911.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0, WASHINGTON. D. c.

L. E. TOPHAM.

DRIVING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1911. 1,088,380. Patented Feb. 24, 191;

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH col, WASHINGTON. D. c.

uNrTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LAURENCE E. TOPHAM, OE BEVERLY, 1VIA$SACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

DRIVING MECHANISM.

Application filed June 10, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAURENCE E. TOPHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beverly, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Driving Mechanisms; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to driving mechanisms, and more particularly to a driving mechanism of the type in which a spring actuated plunger or driving rod is employed. Machines of this class are provided with a spring actuated driving rod, continuously operated means for elevating or returning the driving rod to its initial position after the working stroke is completed, and locking mechanism for retaining the rod in its initial position. In these machines, the locking lever or latch dog engages and locks the plunger in its raised position at substantially the upper limit of movement of the plunger, but in order that the lever may move into a locking position, it is first necessary to raise the plunger slightly above the lockinglever. As the elevating means are continuously operated, the plunger is 'aised above the locking lever and dropped back again upon each rotation or cycle of movements of the elevating mechanism, thus producing a constant chattering of the plunger and operating parts which is not conducive to the quiet operation of the machine and which increases with continued usage of the mechanism.

The object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism of the class described in which the driving rod or plunger has imparted thereto a single working stroke at each separate movement of the controlling means and in which all the chattering or pounding of the operating parts incident to existing mechanisms of this type is avoided.

With this end in view, a feature of the invention contemplates the provision in a machine of the class described of a spring actuated plunger, continuously operated means for elevating the plunger, and mechanism for rendering the elevating means inoperative upon the movement of the plunger into a locking position.

Uther features of the invention consist in Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

Serial No. 632,364.

certain novel features of construction, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed, the advantages of which will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred form of the invention Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the driving mechanism illustrating the several features of the invention in their preferred forms and with the plunger locked in its raised position; Fig. 2 is a detail illustrating a plan view of the spring actuated driving arm and a portion of the connections for elevating the same; Fig. 3 is a detail illustrating a side elevation of the plunger and elevating mechanism therefor and showing the plunger at the bottom of its working stroke; Fig. t is a detail showing a portion of the mechanism for imparting the continuous movement to the elevating means; Fig. 5 is a detail illustrating a plan view of the construction for converting the rotary movement of the drive shaft into an oscillatory movement of the elevating arm; and Fig. 6 is a view illustrating the construction shown in Fig. 5 and taken at right angles to the same.

The driving mechanism is preferably employed in connection with a tack driving machine of the type commonly known as strip tackers. The machine shown in the illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a driving rod or plunger 1 slidingly mounted in a head 2 and having a driving arm 3 yieldingly connected thereto. The downward or working stroke of the plunger is imparted by a suitable spring at connected to the driving arm 3 and arranged to act upon the release of the plunger, all of which is well known and will be understood by those skilled in the art. The plunger is elevated or returned to its initial position at the completion of the working stroke by an elevating arm 6 which is continuously oscillated in a substantially vertical direction and the elevating arm is ope 'atively connected to the plunger by an operating arm 7 which depends from the driving arm 3 and is pivotally connected to the driving arm at 8. In the preferred form of the invention illustrated, a cross pin 10 is fastened in the outer forked portion of the arm 6 and is arranged to engage with a shoulder 11 formed adjacent to the lower end of the arm 7. The pin 10 is provided with a pair of working faces arranged at an acute angle, and which fit within the angle of the shoul- 5 der 11 and maintain the proper operative engagement between the arms 6 and 7 at all positions of the elevating arm. The oscillatory movement is imparted to the elevating arm 6 from the main drive shaft 5 by 10 a simple and eflicient mechanism. The drive shaft 5 is journaled in bearings formed in the frame 12 and has a driving gear 13 fastened upon its inner end. A plate 16 is fastened to the face of the gear 13 and is provided with a cylindrical recess 17 which is eccentric to the axis of the gear. The operating arm 6 is mounted upon a rock shaft 14: journaled in a bracket 15 fastened to the frame 12 and the proper movements are imparted to the shaft 1% by an arm 18, the outer end of which is provided with an anti-friction roll seated in the recess 17. It will be seen that the outer end of the arm 18 is moved in a circular path and in order to convert this rotary movement into an oscillatory movement of the arm 6, the arm 18 is pivoted between the two arms of a bifurcated portion 19 formed on the hub of the arm 6. After the plunger has been elevated 39 or returned to its initial position, it is locked in this position until the next succeeding movement of the control means to trip the locking lever. To this end, a locking lever or latci 21 is arranged to engage with the under face of lateral projection 22 formed integrally with the driving arm 3. The lever 21 is preferably pivoted at to a supporting lever 2st and is moved into a position to engage the under face of the projection by a spring In order to trip the lever and release the plunger, contro means are provided consisting of a suitable treadle, not shown, connected through a treadle operating rod 26 to an offsetportion 27 formed upon th lever 21. The disengaging movement of the lever 21 is limited by a stop 28 consisting of set screw threa dedly mounted in the supporting lever and capable of adjustment in or ler to *ary the disengag- 5e ing movement of the lever.

In order to avoid a vibration or chattering of the mechanism during the time that the plunger is retained in its raised position, it is essential that means be provided for moving the connections between the elevating means and the plunger out the path of the elevating means, or in other words, to render the elevating m s inoperative. In the simplest and most enicient form of the invention which has yet been devised, this is accomplished by operatively connecting the locking lever and operating arm in such a manner that upon the locking of the plunger in raised position, the oper ting arm is moved out of the path of the elevating means, thus rendering the elevating means inoperative, as distinguished from existing constructions of this type in which the op erating arm, or other connection between the elevating means and plunger is intermittently engaged by the elevating means at the upward limit of each cycle of movements of the elevating means. To this end, th sup porting lever 24: is formed as a bell crank pivoted upon the frame at 3C- and provided with a pair of arms 31 and 32 supporting the locking lever 21 and operatively connected to the operating arm 7 respectively. The operating arm 7 is provided with a pin projecting into a curved slot 3% formed in the arm 32, and is normally retained in the path of the elevating arm 6 by a tension spring 36 connected to the upper end of the arm 32. lVhen the plunger is raised to its upward limit of movement, the locking lever is moved by the spring 25 into engagement with the under face of the projection 22 in order to hold the plunger in raised position. it will be noted, however, that the locking lever is pivotally supported upon the arm 31 of the bell crank, and upon a sulficient downward pressure being exerted against the locking lever, the bell crank 2% will be rocked against the force of the spring 36. The rocking movement of the bell crank in this direction is limited by fixed abutment consisting of a stop screw 88 threadedly mounted in the frame of the machine and arranged to contact with the under face of the arm 31. When the bell crank engages the stop 38, the operating arm 7 has been moved out of the path of the elevating arm 6 and it is desirable to accurately determine this movement by the adjustment of the stop screw 38 in order that the arm 7 shall just clear the path of the elevating arm 6. From the above, it will be seen that owing to the connections between the looking lever 21 and the operating arm 7, he elevating arm 6 will be rendered inoperative by the downward movement of the locking lever into its normal or what may be termed its operative position. The slot 8% is so positioned that upon the downward movement of the operating arm coincident with the W0 king stroke of the plunger, the shoulder 11 is moved in a path substantially ooncentric with the path of the elevating arm 6. Upon the release of the control means, the bell crank 2% is rocked back to its initial position by he spring 36, and the arm 7 is moved into the path of the elevating arm 6 in order to raise the plunger. The sprin 36 is comparatively light and the inertia of the bell crank 2t and connected parts is such that even though the operating treadle be released before the completion of the working stroke of the plunger, the arm 7 will not move into the path of the elevating arm 6 until after the completion of the stroke. Thus upon tripping the locking lever 21, the working stroke will be completed irrespective of whether the treadle is immediately released or is held down by the operator.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows :Assuming that the plunger and cooperating parts are in the relative positions shown in Fig. 1, in readiness to deliver a working stroke, the treadle is first depressed to trip the locking lever 21 and release the plunger, to which a downward percussive movement is immediately imparted by the spring 4. After the working stroke has been completed, the treadle is released and the bell crank 24 is rocked to move the arm 7 into the path of the continuously oscillated arm 6. Vl hen this occurs, the operative connection between the elevating means and plunger is established and the plunger is elevated or returned to its initial position. When the plunger reaches its upward limit of movement, the locking lever 21 is moved into engagement with the under face of the projection 22 by the spring A downward pressure is then exerted upon the locking lever by the spring actuated driving arm 3 which rocks the bell crank 24L and moves the arm 7 out of the path of the elevating arm 6, the downward movement being limited by the fixed stop or abutment 38 which determines the operative position of the locking lever, and in which position, the parts are in readiness for the next succeeding working stroke of the plunger.

While it is preferred to employ the specific construction and arrangement of parts shown and described, it will be understood that this construction and arrangement is not essential except so far as specified in the claims and may be changed or modified without departing from the broader features of the invention.

What is claimed is l. A driving mechanism having, in combination, a spring actuated plunger, continuously operated means for elevating the plunger, means for locking the plunger in raised position and connections between the elevating means and plunger actuated by the locking of the plunger in raised position to render the elevating means inoperative, substantially as described.

2. A driving mechanism having, in combination, a spring actuated plunger, continuously operated means for elevating the plunger, means for locking the plunger in raised position, and connections between the plunger and elevating means arranged to be moved out of the path of the elevating means by the locking of the plunger in raised position, substantially as described.

3. A driving mechanism having, in combination, a spring actuated plunger, continuously operated means for elevating the plunger, an operating arm, means for locking the plunger in raised position, and means for moving the arm out of the path of the elevating means actuated by the locking of the plunger in raised position, substantially as described.

4-. A driving mechanism having, in combination, a spring actuated plunger, continuously operated means for elevating the plunger to a predetermined point, an operating arm, means for locking the plunger at a point below the point to which it is elevated, and means for moving the operating arm out of the path of the elevating means during the downward movement between the two points, substantially as described.

A driving mechanism having, in combination, a spring actuated plunger, continuously operated means for elevating the plunger, means for locking the plunger in its raised position, and operative connections between the locking means and elevating means arranged to render the last mentioned means inoperative upon the locking of the plunger in aiscd position, substantially as described.

6. A driving mechanism having, in combi nation, a spring actuated plunger, a locking lover, a lever supporting the locking lever, continuously operated means for elevating the plunger, an operating arm normally retained in the path of the elevating means, and connections between the supporting lever and ope 'ating arm for moving the arm out off the path of the elevating means upon a movement of the locking lever into operative position, substantially as described.

7 A driving mechanism having, in combi nation, a spring actuated plunger, continuously operated means for elevating the plunger, a locking lever yieldingly retained at the upward limit of movement of the plunger, a fixed abutment for limiting the downward movement of the lever under the pressure of the spring actuated plunger, an operating arm, and connections between the operating arm and the locking lever, substantially as described.

8. A driving mechanism having, in combination, a spring actuated plunger, continuously operated means for elevating the plunger, a locking lever yieldingly retained at the upward limit of movement of the plunger, a fixed abutment for limiting the downward movement of the lever under the pressure of the spring actuated plunger, an operating arm, means for moving the arm out of the path of the elevating means upon the downward movement of the locking lever, and means for tripping the locking lever, substantially as described.

9. A driving mechanism having, in combination, a spring actuated plunger, continuously operated means for elevating the plunger, a locking lever yieldingly retained at the upward limit of movement of the plunger, a fixed abutment for limiting the down ward movement of the lever under the pressure of the spring actuated plunger, an operating arm, means for adjusting the height of the abutment, and means for moving the arm out of the path of the elevating means upon the downward movement of the locking lever, substantially as described.

10. A driving mechanism having, in combination, a. spring actuated plunger, a looking lever to hold the plunger in raised position, an elevating arm, means for continuously oscillating the arm in a vertical direction, and an operating arm normally held in the path of the elevating arm in order to raise the plunger, substantially as described.

11. A driving mechanism having, in combination, a spring actuated plun 'er, a locking lever to hold the plunger in raised position, an elevating arm, means for continuously oscillating the arm in a vertical direction, an operating arm normally held in the path of the elevating arm to raise the plunger, and means for moving the operating arm out of the path of the first mentioned arm upon the locking of the plunger in raised position, substantially as described.

12. A driving mechanism having, in combination, a spring actuated plunger, a bell crank, a locking lever supported on one arm of the bell crank, an operating arm connected to the opposite arm of the bell crank, an elevating arm, a spring connected to the bell crank, and a fixed abutment beneath the bell crank, substantially as described.

13. A driving mechanism having, in combination, a plunger, a spring actuated driving arm connected thereto, an operating arm, depending from the driving arm, means for elevating the plunger, and a locking lever arranged to move the operating arm out of the path of the elevating means upon locking of the plunger in raised position, substantially as described.

14. A driving mechanism having, in combination, a spring actuated plunger, means for locking the plunger in raised position, continuously operated means for elevating the plunger, an operating arm normally held out of the path of the elevating means, a treadle rod for tripping the locking means, and means for moving the operating arm into the path of the elevating means upon the release of the treadle rod, substantially as described.

15. A driving mechanism having, in combination, a spring actuated plunger, an elevating arm, means for continuously oscillating the arm, means for locking the plunger in raised position, an operating arm held out of the path of the elevating arm when the plunger is locked in raised position, and means for holding the operating arm out of the path of the elevating arm during the working stroke of the plunger, substantially as described.

16. it driving mechanism having, in COW: bination, a spring actuated plunger, an elevating arm, means for continuously oscillating the arm, a bell crank lever, a locking lever supported upon one arm of the bell crank, an operating arm connected to the opposite arm of the bell crank, a spring for holding the operating arm in the path of the elevating arm, and means for limiting the downward movement of the locking lever and bell crank when the locking lever is moved into an operative position, substantially as described.

1?. A driving mechanism, having, in combination, a sprin actuated plunger, an elevating arm, means for continuously oscillating the arm, a bell crank lever, a locking lever supported upon one arm of the bell crank, an operating arm connected to the opposite arm 01": the bell crank, a spring for holding the operating arm in the path of the elevating arm, a second spring connected to the locking lever, and means for limiting the downward movement of the locking lever and bell crank under the pressure of the spring actuated plunger, substantially as de scribed.

18. A driving mechanism, having, in combination, a spring-actuated plunger, continuously operated means for elevating the plunger, means for locking the plunger in raised position, and mechanism actuated by the locking of the plunger for rendering the elevating means inoperative, substantially as described.

19. A driving mechanism, having, in combination, a spring-actuated plunger, continuously operated means for elevating the plunger, means for locking the plunger in raised posi ion. and mechanism acting inde pendently of the elevating means to render the latter inoperative when the plunger is locked in raised position, substantially as described.

LAUREJCE E. TOPHAJ.

Witnesses Cnnsrnn Rooms,

RUTH TEVARI).

copies 0 this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

